Under section 61 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of
Australia, the executive power of the Commonwealth is vested in the Queen and is exercisable by the Governor-General. This power covers the execution and maintenance of the Constitution and the laws of the Commonwealth. The Federal Executive Council was established by section 62 of the Constitution to perform similar functions in Australia to those performed by the Privy Council in the United Kingdom, that is, to advise the Crown.
 
It is the formal, constitutional and legal body responsible for advising the Governor-General (as distinct from Cabinet). The Executive Council is the legal means of ratifying executive acts by or on behalf of the Governor-General. Sections 62 and 64 of the Constitution provide for the Council to consist of Ministers and Ministers of State and Federal Executive Councillors under summons. They are required to advise the Governor-General regarding the Government of the Commonwealth. Meetings are held regularly, when Parliament sits, usually at Government House in Canberra. However, meetings may be held in other locations (e.g. Parliament House) depending on the number of Executive Councillors present. For this reason, the location of the Federal Executive Council has been taken as the location of the Federal Executive Council Secretariat in the
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
 
The location of the Federal Executive Council prior to 1936 is subject to further research, as for a time the offices of the Prime Minister's Department were located in Melbourne and Parliament House in Canberra (1927-1936). The Secretariat is responsible for organising meetings of the Federal Executive Council, ensuring that appropriate Cabinet approvals have been obtained, that appropriate inter ministerial consultation has taken place, that agreement has been reached and that the Executive Council documents reach the standard of quality required by the Council. Meetings of the Federal Executive Council may be convened by the Secretary to the Council after consulting the Governor-General is unavailable to preside at a meeting of the Council, the meeting may, with his prior agreement, be held in his absence. A quorum of the Council consists of: (a) the Governor-General and two Ministers; or (b) the Vice-President of the Federal Executive Council and two Ministers; or (c) three Ministers The work of the Federal Executive Council is mainly concerned with action to be taken under Acts of the Commonwealth Parliament. It therefore covers a wide spectrum of the Commonwealth's administration and includes such matters as:
 - the making of Proclamations and Regulations
 - the creation and abolition of government departments and positions
   in them
 - the issue of writs for the election of Members of the House of
   Representatives
 - the making and terminating of appointments to statutory offices on
   boards, commissions, councils and tribunals
 - the prohibition of import and export of certain commodities
 - the approval of compulsory land acquisitions
 - authorising entry into international treaties
 - authorising of government borrowings overseas
 - commissioning of officers in the armed services 

Business is submitted to the Executive Council by Minute; each Minute is accompanied by an Explanatory Memorandum. All Ministers, in their capacity as Executive Councillors under summons, may make
recommendations for consideration by the Governor-General in Council. Consequently, if a Minister responsible for a particular Minute is absent or otherwise unavailable, the Minute may be signed by the Minister carrying out his or her duties or by another Minister on his or her behalf. This is provided for in section 19 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901. Source: Commonwealth Government Directory, Volume 2, Federal Executive Council and Parliamentary Departments, March 1984.
Historical agency address
  1901-by1936: subject to further research
by1936-by1950: Commonwealth Offices West Block, Canberra (Prime
               Ministers Department)
by1950-  1971: Commonwealth Offices East Block, Canberra (Prime
               Minister's Department)
  1971-  1973: Commonwealth Offices East Block Canberra (Department
               of the Prime Minister and Cabinet) 
  1973-  1978: Commonwealth Offices West Block, Canberra (Department
               of Prime Minister and Cabinet) 
  1978-      : Edmund Barton Building, cnr Broughton and Macquarie
               Sts, Barton, ACT (Department of the Prime Minister
               and Cabinet)
Legislation administered
Creation: Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act, 63 and 64 Victoria, Chapter 12, 1900